


Take Care

by AverageBunny



Category: Boardwalk Empire
Genre: Comfort, Post Finale
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-19
Updated: 2015-08-19
Packaged: 2018-04-15 14:57:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4611003
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AverageBunny/pseuds/AverageBunny
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Takes place after the show has ended. <br/>Katy and Margaret run into each other at the store and have a bit of an awkward conversation about past mistakes. <br/>Begging the question, did Katy know? About Owen? Did she know that Owen died and that he didn’t run away with Margaret? And that Margaret regrets some of it in the long run?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take Care

On a Saturday morning she finds herself listening to Teddy rambling on about the newest book that he’s been assigned while she scans the shelves of the aisle. Between the drawn out quotes he recites to her and her inability to find flour she barely hears the other woman speak.

“Mom,” Teddy says, nudging her.

“Yes dear I’m listening,” she says automatically.

“No, mom,” Teddy says physically turning her towards the woman.

“Mrs. Thompson,” the woman greets. She’s pregnant, quite far along too.

“Katy?” she asks, almost unsure of herself.

“Yes,” she says with a smile. “And Teddy, right?” she asks, looking at him.

“I remember you,” Teddy says.

“That is not how we greet people,” Margaret says sternly.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbles. “It’s very nice to see you again Miss Katy,” he says turning to her.

“And it’s very nice to see you again Teddy, how are you?”

“I’m very well thank you, and you?” he asks.

“Still the gentlemen, I see,” she says.

“It looks like you’ve been doing well, Katy,” Margaret says. Katy moves her hands to her stomach instinctively.

“Yes I have,” she says quietly with a smile.

“Teddy why don’t you go get everything else?” Margaret suggests, handing him the list. He nods and walks away quickly.

“He’s grown so much since the last time I saw him,” she notes.

“It has been quite a while,” Margaret replies, curling her hands tightly around the handle of her purse.  

“And Emily? How is she?”

“Thriving,” she says.

“That’s so good to hear,” Katy says, the happiness in her voice genuine.

“And you? You’ve seemed to have...moved on,” Margaret says, unsure of how to say it.

“Yes, I have...my first one, actually.”

“How far along are you?”

“Six and a half months.”

“You and your husband must be very excited,” she says.

“Thomas and I are very happy together, yes,” she replies. “I heard about Mr. Thompson. I’m so sorry for your loss,” she says.  

“Thank you.” They stand there in the aisle together, awkwardly, neither of them sure of what to say next.

“I know this must be...strange for you,” Katy starts.

“So let’s not make it stranger,” Margaret says shortly.

“But I don’t blame you,” she finishes.

“For what?” Margaret asks, defensively.

“For...what happened.”

“For Owen, you mean,” she says. She can see Katy’s eye twitch at the mention of his name.

“He was never good for me,” she says. “For either of us, I suppose.”

“He was never meant to be,” Margaret replies.

“Are you happy?” Katy asks suddenly.

“I’m sorry?”

“Now, with...the way everything’s turned out. Are you happy with it?”

“Are you?” she asks. Katy lowers her gaze, her hand wrapping protectively around her stomach.

“Yes,” she says softly. “I am.”

“Then why bring up the past at all?” Margaret asks.

“I know you never cared for me,” Katy starts, “but I want to say that it’s all been forgotten.”

“Well if you’re looking for forgiveness…”

“I’m not looking for your forgiveness, miss,” she cuts her off. “This has been a weight on me for far too long now and...we both deserve some closure on the matter, don’t we?” Her voice was motherly and Margaret began to resent it.

“How noble of you,” she says curtly.

“I should be going now,” Katy says, looking down, playing with her hands.  

“As should I,” she said, “And again, congratulations.”

“Take care of yourself, Margaret,” Katy says as Margaret walks away. She’d only heard Katy use her first name once before, but there was something different in the way she used it this time.

This time there were no boundaries to set in place, there were no formalities. This time, there was only the space between them and the market in which they stood.

“And you too, Katy,” she says quietly. 


End file.
